Thread by @danielkenitz

Writing a snappy blog intro can be excruciating work.

But it doesn't have to be.

Use this cheat sheet of 7 creative intro templates

(+ live examples from professional content writers:) 🧵

1. Curiosity Gap - Context - What's Next?

Great for: Anything in first person

Author: @kat_boogaard

Open with an intriguing, out-of-context image. Do nothing else. Just pull the pin and toss in the grenade.

THEN do context.

Here, Kat starts with the image of $300k:

2. Relatable detail - State of play - Poke the pain

Great for: Everyday tips and advice

Author: @wordswithalyssa

This one sucks you in with a light, relatable detail, then pulls the wool from under you.

"Hey, [relatable detail]? Well, here's why that's bad."

Sneaky, sneaky.

3. Zing! - Context - State of play

Great for: Voice-driven insights

Author: @ashleyrcummings

Love Ashley's sense of humor, and the literal Leo "Zing!" here is an instant attention grab.

But worth noting: it doesn't dwell.

One sentence later, we're on to the meat.

4. 2nd Person POV - Pain poke - Transition to solution

Great for: Advice, problem-solving

Author: @rochi_zalani

I love the artfulness of Rochi's pain poke.

The "Monday-Friday" thruline is great.

Included a portion of the main body so you can see how it flows:

5. State of play / "But" - Development - Benefits

Great for: "Thesis" posts, persuasion

Author: @sam_milbrath

That first paragraph is so efficient, I included two elements: the basic state of play, along with a counter-point / "but" sentence.

Result:

Instant cut-to-chase.

6. Problem - New Paradigm - Solution

Great for: How-to posts & thought leadership

Authors: @ericasmyname & @tomwhtley

Insights into both problem/solution don't only get your hands around the topic, but also demonstrate how much you know BOTH paradigms.

Establish authority.

7. The Goods - Development - Benefit

Great for: Counterintuitive advice

Author: Your boy @danielkenitz (hey, it's my thread)

No context, no intrigue, no curiosity gap: just state a unique angle and elaborate.

Upside-down pyramid works best when the idea itself is upside-down.

Obviously, this list has a bias towards intros that fit into a tight Twitter window.

AND a bias towards intros that might fit a three-pronged template.

But I find that with enough practice, if I grasp the principles, I learn when to break the rules as well.

So will you.

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